Island



WILLIAM E. HAMLIN, JR., or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters Patent No. 81,777, elatedv September 1, 1868,

IMPROVBD HEEL-PLATE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

ili tlghnle numb in iii tigen that atent mit, mating gaat nt the time.

'lO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HAMLIN, Jr., ofthe city and county ofProvidence, in the State of Rhode Island, have' invented a new anduseful Improvement in Heel-Plates for Boots and Shoes; and I do herebydeclare that the following specification, taken in connection with thedrawings making apart of the same, is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereo-f. I v

Figure 1 exhibits 'in perspective the two parts of which the heelplateis composed.

Eigures 2 and 3 exhibit respectively the same heel-plate applied tohoot-heelsof diiferent widths.

The object of a. heel-plate is to furnisha metallic surface to"`the edgeof the heel of a hoot or shoe, and thereby prevent it from being wornaway by the pavement so soon as it otherwise would be.

A device for this purpose has heretofore been employed, made'in the formof a l1orse-shoe,and' conforming to the outline of the heel of the'boot,but it is objectionable, on the ground that each such plate is fittedonly for one size of heel, and is not capable of being set upon either abroad or a narrow heel at pleasure.

My invention consists in' forming a. heel-plate in two parts, so fittedto each other that the two, so constitoting a complete plate, can beadjusted to boot-heels of all usual sizes. 1

In the drawings, it will be seen that the heel-plate' is composed ofthetwo members, A and B. The portion A has one end madewith. a circularoutline, a b, and the end of the other portion, B, fitting the same, iscut away upon a. curved line, c d, corresponding with the curved outlinea b of the portion A.

When the two portions A andlB areplaced with their ends so preparedinjuxtaposition, it is evident that the two surfaces a b and c d can bemade to slide one upon the other, in the same manner as they would do ifthe two portions A4 and B were hinge-jointed, and thereby the plate canbe conveniently adjusted'to boot-heels of any of the common sizes.

y The plates are secured to the heel-tap by means of screws, e, and theymay be let into the leather so as to make a iiush surface with it,orthey may be screwed upon the surface of the outer lift' of the heel.'

I prefer, also, to malle the surface of the plate roughened, by dividingits surface into squares, or lozenges, by intersecting lines, as shown,and also to make the plate thicker at the back edge than at the front.These features, however, are mattersof construction merely.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent,is-

rlhe improved heel-plate for boots and shoes, consisting of a plate madein two parts, A and B, constructe and fitted to eachother so as t-oaccommodate heels of different sizes in the way substantially asdescribedf WM. E. HAMLIN, JR.

Witnesses:

BENJ. F. Tunnsron, GEoReE B. BAuRows.

